Christine Parker

Born in Lancashire in 1957 and growing up on the outskirts of Preston, Christine Parker’s early childhood was spent living on one of the newly built council estates of the early 1960’s.

She won a scholarship to a prestigious girls’ grammar school, going on to study Law and Social Policy at Manchester before studying at the University of Keele in Staffordshire where she qualified as a social worker. She is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing at West Dean College in West Sussex.

She lives with her partner of 10 years in the Seven Dials area of Brighton. Between them they have 5 children and 7 grand-children.

She has been a life long writer, winning her first writing competition at the age of eleven when she won a regional poetry competition, her prize was a postal order for £10 and to have her work published in a magazine.

She is currently working on her first full-length novel, a coming of age story about a young woman growing up in Southern Ireland during the 1960’s.

Her blog ‘Catherine and Martha’s Story’, is an introduction to the novel. It gives the reader a unique insight to the backstory of two of the novels main characters.

Through her life, she has accumulated a huge portfolio of as yet unpublished work. This includes several short stories for children about ‘Mo the Monkey’. Mo was conceived several years ago when Christine’s children were young, Mo’s main role was to help sort out dilemmas that were otherwise challenging for children. With over 26 years’ experience of working with children and their families, Mo has had endless opportunities to put those problem-solving super powers into practice.

She now works as an accredited celebrant with Humanist UK. Working with families to deliver ‘Celebration of Life’ ceremonies for their loved ones. Ceremonies that are bespoke for that person and include written tributes, poetry and prose which are often penned specifically for the occasion.

In her spare time, she presents a weekly radio programme for a local community radio station and is a non-singing member of the Rainbow Chorus, Brighton’s only LGBT choir.